Issues continue and a mastitis diagnosis

I have returned to the forum since the responses I got were so helpful last time. I called the doctor Monday for recurring mastitis. I got really sick Sunday, and the pain was in my right breast which is the same side that I had pumped a HUGE plug out of the first week of breastfeeding (we are finishing week three now) as well as a bunch of blood. My husband, who used to milk cows who got mastitis all the time, told me that's what I had but I ignored him haha.

Big mistake. My right boob has never stopped giving me fits. I can nurse the baby on the left boob with no pain or issues anymore. Sometimes the right doesn't hurt, and sometimes it is like shards of glass - which I am pretty certain are plugs are chunks or something coming through. I still have two more days of antibiotics and I can still feel some hard semi-painful lumps in my breasts. I massage and heat and massage and heat. I have nursed through this pain for three weeks despite how tense it makes me and how much it sometimes hurt. I DREAD nursing on this boob. It has trapped me in the house because I don't want to go anywhere and have to wind up feeding her on that side because I will cry in public from the pain. My breast has a little crack still healing on it from the poor latch a week and half ago (until I read some helpful materials you all shared) but I can tell the pain is not sore nipples. I have only pumped right breast once since Monday. Boob doesn't feel engorged just has these knots.

I am ready to just go to bottles because this right breast is causing so much stress. But then I feel dramatic. It really feels like knives coming out of my breasts though. Right boob feeding coming up in an hour and I have been dreading it the last two. I don't know what else to do for the boob though. Oh, and I plan on calling doctor back Monday also to explain the situation, but I would love some relief now.

Re: Issues continue and a mastitis diagnosis

'shards of glass' sounds as if something is going on aside friom mastitis & plugs. Are you able to see a lactation consultant?

Have you tried vibration & cold compresses instead for the plugs? (Cold reduces swellling, vibration breaks plug up so it can 'pass.') Also, taking otc anti inflamatory/pain killer is usually suggested. Motrin or the like.

I don't think you are being dramatic. You are ill and in pain, Who needs that? But if you 'go to bottles' you will still be lactating, so that is not going to solve the issue. If baby's latch is off on that side, making matters worse, pumping may help, but of course best is to figure out what is up with latch and try to fix it.